I Don't Need You Now
by keepingrecords
Summary: Rachel and Puck sing Need You Now. "It's another song for Finn." And I am bad at writing summaries.


**Title:** I Don't Need You Now

**Chapter: **1

**Summary:** Rachel and Puck sing Need You Now. "It's another song for Finn." And I am bad at writing summaries.

**A/N:** I don't own Glee or Need You Now or Harry Potter or the forgotten book from which I borrowed a phrase. Some simple Puckleberry angst/humour/bonding based on the Need You Now duet news to ease my way into the role of a fanfic writer.

Oh and real sorry for the _**mess**_ with the song, it's hard to differentiate them. You could listen to the song while reading or just skip it and read the bracketed part (Rachel's thoughts).

Read and review please!

* * *

They rolled their eyes, muttered or just spaced out while she chattered on. The only people who seemed to be listening were Sam and Artie (out of politeness). Finn, on the other hand, stared at them accusingly as Santana mechanically rubbed his thigh whilst trying to distract Brittany, who was trying to distract Artie.

Puck, in turn, stared at the floor, waiting for the signal so he could finally start playing his guitar. Rachel's voice trailed away and he looked up, slightly concerned. Kinda unlike her.

She looked away from their team mates, towards the back, pretending to check on the band. A little hurt registered on her face but all too soon, it was concealed by a mask. During the short time Puck really got to know her, he managed to learn quite a bit. It's her showface mask, actually.

* * *

People think he's a stupid jock, a Neanderthal as chicks would say. But ever since he found out Quinn was preggo with his spawn, he'd kinda let his emotional guard down.

The last time he ever felt this much emotion in him, like they were threatening to burst out and not in a badass, violent way, was when his dad left him. It was kinda too much for a nine year old who thought his father was the fucking king of the world. So he locked all those feelings up in a safe deep inside him and converted to the best badass a nine-year-old could be, perfecting his persona as the years went by. Not that he'd admit it, but the failed Project Seduce Berry sealed the deal with the devil – he got his soul back. (Commence project which suddenly transformed into something(s) he was originally _not _planning to do.)

He stopped participating in the more cruel or uncommon forms of bullying. Especially since that slushie incident. Hey, he put much thought into this whole thing. He wasn't, of course, about to completely ditch his way of living and throw his reputation away – he's a stud, and fight clubs are useful for experience points in life anyway. But, he thought, the most shocking (and annoying) change was how he'd not only started having emotions, but also started observing and noticing things he thought only fucking _pansies_ observed and noticed in books and crappy soap operas. Or musicals.

He wasn't even observing what he should be observing i.e. Quinn. Quinn's a freak and she's fine as long as she has a roof over her head and money he was definitely providing (to the best of his ability). And attention, but he only entertained her when his baby was involved, like cravings or some shit like that. Sure, he was happy that he had Quinn all to himself now but it wasn't quite what he expected. He wouldn't be getting any consistently even if she wasn't pregnant. In fact, he started noticing _other_ freaks. Freaks like Hummel, and Berry.

Their lives as he saw it in school were interesting. With the bullying, and relationship drama and all. He ain't no gossip monger but it was still entertaining. That's why he always looked out for them in the hallways. Just that. Look out; maybe move the occasional Glist or prevent a slushie facial. He's a little protective of his people now. He'll admit that.

But then he started noticing too much of just one person, and he found himself unable to stop absorbing any tell-tale signs of her thoughts or feelings from what she was saying or doing. Unable to refuse her offer to improve his rep. Unable to resist prodding for a kiss or two. By the end of several months he found that his file of Rachel Berry's different faces and looks and smiles and shit in his head's fucked up storage cabinet had increased in size since they last made out. And his file of skirts, but that's another story.

So yeah, thanks Berry. Thanks a lot. More crap he didn't need to know. (And this curiosity certainly didn't help him refuse another _singing_ offer. It's another song for Finn. _God_. She's lucky he's such a good Jew now.) But, you know, he didn't want to be a bad father so the return of his soul did sort of help. Cue: Beth (The song). And then it was all Quinn and Beth (the baby), Quinn and Beth, Glee rehearsals, schoolwork, Glee rehearsals, Quinn, Glee rehearsals, quick detour to mess up that Jesse kid's car, Quinn and Beth. Regionals. Quinn. Quinn. Beth.

He fell in love with his baby momma somewhere along the way. Probably after she gave birth. It was a bitch, seeing her lie there, so beautiful, holding Beth. All the while knowing they'd be giving her away.

* * *

Rachel nodded. Noah started to pick at the strings, a small smile dancing on his lips. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the music.

-/-

[_Rachel, _(Rachel's thoughts),**Puck, **both]

_Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor  
Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore_

(She looked straight into Finn's eyes, willing him to forgive her.)

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind

(Her breath hitched, just barely. Her duet partner sounded different.)

_For me it happens all the time_

**Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door  
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before**_  
_  
(She started wishing they hadn't decided to start with the second verse – his part – immediately. The emotion he was subtly conveying was almost haunting and definitely affecting her performance. She closed her eyes.)

_And I wonder if I ever cross your mind  
_**For me it happens all the time**

It's a quarter after one  
I'm _all alone_/**a** **little drunk** and I need you now  
Said I wouldn't call  
But I've lost all control and I need you now  
And I don't know how I can do without  
I just need you now

(She was getting a little tired at the amount of extra effort she was putting in to hide how affected she was. She blamed his previous nonchalance for catching her off guard.)

Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all

_It's a quarter after one  
I'm all alone  
And I need you now_  
**And I said I wouldn't call  
But I'm a little drunk  
And I need you now**

(She cringed ever so slightly, finding herself displeased that she was only allowed to listen to him sing that way when in the presence of others. She also found it displeasing that she forgot to sing _to_ Finn.)

-/-

* * *

They sang the last few lines and then even Santana didn't make a peep. Eyes darted from Rachel to Finn; Finn to Rachel.

"Taking a leak." The casual announcement was almost completely ignored. Mr Shuester, Finn and Quinn's eyes followed the Mohawk out of the room.

Now, if Kurt were there, he probably would have known why Rachel just blinked at Finn's bemused face and primly marched out of the room. He probably would have known why Quinn looked like someone took her baby away, one she expected to have anyway.

_He'd know, but maybe not understand fully. I don't quite understand myself._ Rachel mused in her head as she stalked past the disgustingly foul-smelling lockers. Nonetheless, she would feel much better knowing she left behind a perceptive… friend who wouldn't just think this was just a typical diva storm out.

She bit her lip, hands wrung nervously. Noah glanced up at her. A beat, and then he motioned for her to sit on the bench in front of him. She hesitated before sitting on the floor next to him.

There was so much she wanted to say, to ask, but she couldn't, not now. It was always in these situations, when she felt so helpless, that her speech and extensive vocabulary disgracefully failed her. So she waited, waited for him to be okay and speak first.

It didn't take long. "Uh, shouldn't you be dry-humping Finn right now? Or maybe, you know, shouting at him for being so stubborn or something?"

"Shouldn't _you_ be in the washroom? Like you said?" she shot back.

"Nah. They remind me of slushies. Don't want to get confused." He waved his hand around and winked. Rachel raised her eyebrow. Openly acknowledging that he had a different intention for exiting the choir room? That's new.

It was just so confusing, this façade of his. Legs sprawled out, body slumped over, face a blank mask of disinterested menace. She was slightly annoyed (and hurt) that he would keep it up with her, now that their acquaintanceship had progressed and given the fact that he'd always found it easier to confide in her.

He suddenly snapped right back to the subject of her and Finn. "Oh, I know. You stormed out, right?" He drawled. "You always do… Shit was it something bad this time? Like the Santana thing? What'd he do?" Just like that he went from uncaring to concerned while she remained baffled at him. She bit her lip again.

"I – No. I don't know. He… He can wait. He's still hurt, obviously; us singing together probably made it worse, but either way, I don't think the song is about him and me anymore." She shifted uncomfortably on the floor and peeked up at him through her hair. "I had to go find you once you walked out."

"Not now, Rachel."

"Okay." She smiled. "Anyway, I know you wouldn't ask since we did rehearse the song together several times, but I thought you did a magnificent job on our duet. I'm beginning to find out that boys in McKinley do not have the emotional range of a teaspoon when it comes to performing, after all. Interesting."

He chuckled. She could be a cute bitch sometimes. "A little harsh, don't you think?" She giggled, their laughs echoing in the empty locker room.

"Wait, I think I heard that part about the teaspoon somewhere before."

She laughed again and declared disbelievingly, "You read the Harry Potter books!"

"What? No!" he scowled. "It was the movie. And Emma Watson's hot anyway. Sue me."

It's silly, and it shouldn't be allowed but the fact that the 'hot' Emma Watson played a character very much similar to Rachel herself inflated her ego. It might have made her a little happier too.

"We should go get our stuff."

Noah stood up, offering her a hand. She took it gladly.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Next chapter up soon. Thoughts?


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